Baseballs
 

In the old days of MLB, after a game, you would see the ball boy hand over a large bag to the plate umpire after the game containing all the baseballs. Obviously that doesn't happen anymore. So, today, in an MLB game, who provides the baseballs? If it is the home team, how is it assured they are kept to Major League standards?

I am sure the home team provides the balls, but like every other licensing issue with a major professional league, they can only use a very specific ball. I doubt it is that complicated or much of a standard to uphold. I am almost positive every ball used to start a game are new. And I am under the impression that the umpires take the "shine" off the balls with mud before the games.

Peace

3.01
Before the game begins the umpire shall—
(c) Receive from the home club a supply of regulation baseballs, the number and make to be certified to the home club by the league president. The umpire shall inspect the baseballs and ensure they are regulation baseballs and that they are properly rubbed so that the gloss is removed. The umpire shall be the sole judge of the fitness of the balls to be used in the game;
(d) Be assured by the home club that at least one dozen regulation reserve balls are immediately available for use if required;


In Major League Baseball, the club house attendants or umpires rub at least 5 dozen balls before each game. And the mud comes from a part of Burlington County, New Jersey. The exact location is still kept secret.

Lol
 

Trust me, no major league umpire has "rubbed the shine" off any baseballs for many, many years.

When a crew enters a city they are assigned an "club house attendant" to help them with any any all issues.

For years the first task handed to these people was the preparation of baseballs for game use. Using Delaware River mud (used by every MLB team) the clubhouse attendant rubs down the required number of balls.

At the end of the series the umpires "tip" the attendant very well for this activity.

I will also attest that very, very few (if any) AAA umpires rub down balls.

T

In my HS games, I always assign this duty to the backup catcher.

All somewhat true, but there are a lot of variables to this based on the crew, the money they want to spend and who is on that crew. And that is even more the case with AAA umpires because they do not make the money that MLB guys do and do a lot of things themselves to not spend money.

Peace

Here is another link with a little more history to it...

Magic Mud Baseballs - YouTube

What is to prevent the ball boy from giving the umpire one set of baseballs when the home team is batting, and another set when the road team is batting? I do know that the umpire does not empty the ball bag attached to their belt after each half-inning.

You mean, like football?

Well, I'd imagine that this is a job that the clubbie would not want to lose.

I would say fear of losing his job and the integrity of the game. Old school shenanigans have no place in today's game. Bush league.